Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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162. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to list the competent authorities with the authority to prepare a DMAP proposal, designated under the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021. [35246/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, I am the competent authority for the purposes of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive. This authorises me as Minister to prepare Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) proposals and make DMAPs.

Section 20 of the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021 specifies the process for the designation, by me as the Minister, of other public bodies to make DMAPs. To date, no public body has applied to be designated as a competent authority for the purposes of preparing a DMAP.

Prior to the transfer of the marine planning functions to my Department in May 2023, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage designated the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications as a competent authority for the purposes of preparing DMAPs for all offshore renewable energy development in the Irish maritime area. Due to the subsequent transfer of functions to my Department this designation is now redundant.